Method for making finned heat sink assemblies

Abstract

A construction is provided for a finned heat sink constructed from a plurality of components separately formed from graphite materials. The components include a base and a plurality of fins. In one embodiment, the base is constructed from a first graphite material, and a plurality of elongated fins are constructed from a second graphite material, which may be the same material as the first graphite material. The fins each extend at least partially into the base, and have a length extending away from the base parallel to each other. The graphite material of the fins includes graphene layers aligned in planes parallel to the length of the fins. Two constructions are provided for the base. In one construction the base includes graphene layers aligned in planes parallel to the length of the fins. In another construction the base includes graphene layers aligned in planes perpendicular to the length of the fins.

1. A method of manufacturing a heat sink assembly, comprising:
 (a) forming a base from a first graphite material;  
 (b) forming a plurality of separate fins from a second graphite material comprising compressed particles of exfoliated graphite;  
 (c) assembling the base and the fins into a heat sink assembly; and  
 (d) bonding the base and the plurality of fins together.  
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second graphite materials are each formed of graphite material comprising compressed particles of exfoliated graphite. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second graphite materials are both resin-impregnated graphite materials. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein:
 in step (d), the bonding is achieved by clamping together the base and the fins, and curing the resin-impregnated graphite materials.  
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 in step (a) the base is formed by compressing a powered graphite material; and  
 in step (b), the fins are formed from a sheet of flexible graphite material.  
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 in steps (a) and (b), both the base and the fins are formed from sheets of flexible graphite material.